A Reader Writes in About The Painted Veil

Well this is kind of interesting. A reader from Austin, Texas writes in to say:

I was intrigued by a line in your review of “The Painted Veil.” It reads: “It’s the mystery of attraction that these undeveloped people should choose, for a partner, the one person most guaranteed to provide them with an education through suffering.” I am not sure whether you have ever heard of “Imago” concept for relationships, but the premise of it is EXACTLY what you write — namely, that we do indeed choose our mates (subconsciously, for the most part) for precisely the opportunity to educate ourselves, even through this suffering. The practices that the Imago founders recommend are intended to “awaken” us to this hidden reality (or theory, if you don’t agree) and overcome the obstacles we create for ourselves in attempting to connect to our partners.